Dispensing pressure can for tennis balls



July 22, 1958 H. RITZENBERG 2,843,935

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I INVENTOR 22 HYMAN RITZENBERG ATTORNEY United States Patent Ofiice 2,843,985, Patented July 22, 1958 DISPENSING PRESSURE CAN FOR TENNIS BALLS Hyman Ritzenberg, Arlington, Va. Application February 8, 1955, Serial No. 486,803

3 Claims. (Cl. 53-235) This invention relates to a can in which tennis balls may be stored under pressure and dispensed at will.

Tennis balls today come packaged three in a pressure packed sealed tin can which adds to the expense of manufacture and the subsequent retail price. It is necessary that tennis balls be maintained at a proper pressure while on store shelves which is the reason for packing the balls in pressured cans. Using this method of packing, they will generally keep for several years until opened.

It is the object of the present invention to provide a can in which a gross or more balls may be kept under pressure and which may be dispensed in quantities of one, two or three without materially losing this pressure from the interior of the can.

It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a simple storage can for tennis balls by means of which the tennis balls will be stored on a spiral rack and fed to an outlet hole one at a time, when they may be dispensed either through a coin operated device or other suitable mechanism.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a spiral storage rack within the can, the spiral rack fitting around the Wall of the can and leaving a central storage space in which an additional number of balls could be kept.

It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a storage can having a guage and a pump fitting by means of which a small air pump with a very few strokes could keep the air at exactly the right number of pounds pressure.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which:

Figure 1 is a vertical section of the device.

Figure 2 is a cross section on line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the storage can.

Figure 4 is a front elevation plan showing an attached coin controlling mechanism.

Figure 5 shows a three ball receiving can.

Figure 6 shows a two ball receiving can.

Figure 7 shows a one ball receiving can.

Referring particularly to the drawing, a storage can 12 which may be made from sheet metal or plastic is fitted with an air pressure gauge 13 and an air inlet valve 14. The can is mounted on a base 15 and provided with a sealing oval shaped top 16. The top is the same type as that used on pressure cookers having a sealing ring 17 provided on its upper surface and is adapted to fit within the can and be forced up into engagement with the underside of the can to efiectively seal the outlet.

Fitted within the can is a spiral rack 18 to receive tennis balls 19 and to gradually feed the same towards an opening 20 in the bottom of the can. This opening has a downturned threaded rim 21 adapted to receive a dispensing can 22. A plate 23 having an opening 24 similar in size to the opening at the bottom of the can and large enough to pass a tennis ball is carried on a rod 25 having a handle 26 and a bellows 27 attached to the rod and to the sides of the can to eifectively seal the opening through which the rod passes. A spring may be attached to the rod 25 to maintain the plate 23 in closed position. A coin operated mechanism 30 may be used in conjunction with this rod. The dispensing cans may be of the size shown at 22 to receive a single ball or that shown at 28 to receive two balls, or the can shown at 29 which will receive three balls.

In use, the spiral rack is filled with tennis balls and the remainder of a gross or extra balls are placed in the center of the can for storage. The lid is then placed in position and a pump applied to the outlet 14. The lid 16 is held in position by hand until the pressure against the underside forces it into sealing relation with the top of the can. Additional air is pumped to bring the pressure to the desired amount as shown by the guage 13.

By inserting fifty cents or any desired coin in the coin dispensing mechanism, the rod 25 may be pushed inward so that the plate 23 is moved out of sealing relationship with the hole and the hole 24 aligned with the opening 20 permitting a ball to drop into the dispensing can. The rod 25 is pulled out to its fullest extent sealing the opening and the can 22 unscrewed and the ball removed with a very slight loss of pressure within the can. Should it be desirable to dispense more than one ball at a time, either dispensing can 28 or 29 may be fitted in a like manner to the opening 20 when the same operation will dispense the required number of balls.

What is claimed is:

1. A dispenser for tennis balls, comprising a container, a removable self-sealing top covering an opening in said container for admitting tennis balls to said container, said top being sealed by pressure from within said container, means for arranging said contained tennis balls in a progression, means for dispensing said tennis balls in order of said progression, said means being operable from without said container, and a removable ball receiver normally held in sealing relation with said container.

2. A dispenser for tennis balls, comprising a container adapted to be sealed under pressure higher than atmospheric, means for supporting tennis balls in said container in a progression, coin-controlled means for dispensing said tennis balls, said means being operable from without the container, and a removable receiving means for said balls, said removable means being normally held in sealing relation with said container.

3. A dispenser for tennis balls, comprising a container, a spiral rack in said container for receiving said tennis balls and supporting them in a progression, an outlet in said container, a removable ball receiver fitted over said outlet and normally held in sealing relation with said container, means operable from without said container for controlling the outflow of balls into said ball receiver.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,207,813 Stockton Dec. 12, 1916 1,732,422 Smith Oct. 22, 1929 1,770,576 Leather July 15, 1930 1,981,135 Block Nov. 20, 1934 2,299,403 Mozel Oct. 20, 1942 2,419,050 Ashwood Apr. 15, 1947 2,634,894 Fischer et al. Apr. 14, 1953 

